In many chemical laboratories found in scientific, educational, industrial, medical and other research facilities, flowable materials such as liquids, but not limited to liquids, must frequently be disposed of through a sink. Many of these liquids exhibit undesirable characteristics, such as volatility, where the formation of the vapor phase of a substance may be dangerous to living things. Additionally, the corrosive nature of some liquids makes their rapid discarding important to avoid biological and non-biological damage to the immediate area. The most general method of discarding any liquids has been to pour them into a sink and, subsequently, to flush them with tap water or the like into the sink drain.
Experience has shown that the prevalent method for disposing of liquids can be frequently hazardous. For instance, a liquid may backsplash from the sink floor, and, if corrosive, may inflict injury to persons handling it or cause damage to objects in the vicinity. Likewise, it is obvious that volatile liquids allowed to spread over large surface area of the sink evaporate from it at a high rate into the surroundings before their draining is accomplished. The occupants of the premise are then exposed to an annoyance or a health hazard, depending on the properties of the liquid vapors. In the case of a liquid being both volatile and corrosive, the above undesirable characteristics are compounded.
Persons discarding liquids encounter frequently yet another hazard when the sink contains accumulated solids such as pieces of papers, corks, broken glass and solid chemicals. Such solids accumulate on and in the strainer and interfere with draining of the discarded liquids. Persons who attempt to free strainers of those materials and do not observe proper caution may get fingertips cut with fragments of broken glass lodged in the strainer, suffer chemical burns or stains, and the like.
The prior art discloses funnels for transfer or filtering of liquids, but it does not deal with safe disposal of liquids through a sink drain. Likewise, the prior art discloses sink strainers, but not of the kind encountered in the present invention that would allow unrestricted passage of flushing liquid into the sink drain while prohibiting the sink drain or strainer itself from becoming clogged with solid material.
More significantly, the prior art does not teach or disclose means for protecting plastic gaskets found at the orifice of the drainpipe for the sink. Because of the presence of such plastic gaskets, they are vulnerable to attack by leaching by organic solvents.
Even more significant, the prior art does not teach or disclose the advantage of the Venturi-suction effect caused by the aspirator-effect produced on the flowing material down the funnel. the aspirator-effect of the present invention is created in conjunction with the strainer and flange in cooperation with the funnel to be explained more fully hereinafter.
For example, Hunter U.S. Pat. No. 760,069, relates to a funnel having vent holes in a collar at the junction of the spout and body of the funnel. There is no means for forming a Venturi-suction or aspirator-effect on the flowable material poured into the funnel.
Further, Bolton U.S. Pat. No. 299,513, relates to a funnel with a sustaining sleeve extending down from the body of the funnel and preferably extending a short distance below the lower end of the funnel's eduction nose. Bolton does not suggest nor anticipate a flange or other means to provide for a Venturi-suction or aspirator-effect on the flowable material poured into the funnel.
Additionally, Patterson U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,634, relates to a drain basket which clearly is not a funnel. Further, even though the basket has side openings and drainage openings in the bottom of the basket, no suggestion is seen to lead to the funnel device of the present invention.
Stevens, U.S. Pat. No. 243,002, relates to a device for thawing out sink spouts. There is no teaching of a flange cooperating with the funnel in close proximity thereto to form a Venturi-suction or aspirator-effect on the flowable material introduced into the funnel.
Mercier et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,903,366, relates to a detachable sink strainer. There is no funnel associated with the sink strainer nor is there a teaching of a flange for creating a Venturi-suction or aspirator-effect on the flowable material introduced into the funnel.
Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 201,472, relates to an improved funnel for filling opaque vessels. The funnel is constructed with two nozzles, one concentric to the other and longer such that an air space is formed between the nozzles. Provision is made for a cup-shaped strainer which is dropped into the nozzle of the funnel. No provision is made nor teaching given of a flange in close cooperation with the funnel to form the Venturi-suction or aspirator-effect on the flowable material passed through the funnel.
Further, there is not adequate teaching in any reference cited hereinabove taken alone or in any combination one with another to make obvious or anticipate the present invention.